


See you later, partner.

by DaemonGal



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: Angst, Collaboration, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memory Loss, Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:00:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27244603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaemonGal/pseuds/DaemonGal
Summary: When a mission goes wrong and Reno barely makes it out with his life, the consequences may be too much for Rude to handle...
Relationships: Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 70





	See you later, partner.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Brilcrist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brilcrist/gifts).



> Based on day 3 and day 26 of @agikun Brilcrist's whumptober series (will link in end notes please go and check them out). The art both broke my heart and inspired me in equal amounts and for some reason I felt like I needed to put this into words... sorry in advance ;-;

**_See you later, partner._ **

How had it come to this? 

What had it all been for: the training, the drills, all the sparring, not to mention the years of experience they both had. They were often referred to as ‘seasoned veterans’, but what good did it do when one mistake, one slip up, one slight misjudgement of character would put them in this situation.

They had been cocky and overconfident. Tseng had offered to come along, but the job was meant to be an easy one. Enough to class as a day's work but quick enough to get finished early, just the way he liked it. 

The ground was cold on his cheek, the rough gravel almost uncomfortable enough to distract him from the pressure of the gun barrel being pressed against his head. The air tasted dry and felt thin, each subsequent breath filling his lungs less than the last. He was sure someone was talking, but his ears were ringing along with every muscle in his body. He kept his eyes tightly closed, body too weak to move an inch.

The darkness was comforting and, for a split second, it was as if he was elsewhere. His mind was filled with things that mattered, things that brought him happiness. He imagined that instead of the hard floor, his head was resting on a lap, warm and safe, and instead of a gun pressing into his skull, it was a hand massaging his scalp. 

The room felt like it was shaking, stirring him from his thoughts, as another source of pressure was applied to his head roughly.

“Oi, oi. Listen to me when I’m talking, you piece of shit.” The voice was an unfamiliar one, finally managing to cut through the incessant noise. The rubber of the assailant’s boot rubbed against his scalp as he swallowed.

“Sorry bud, my mind was elsewhere.”  _ Gaia, is that my voice _ . His throat was dry, and his words were barely audible. Although blocking out the sight by choice, he could picture the concerned look Rude would have on his face. 

But he wouldn’t act defeated. His throat burned but he couldn’t let the tears fall, he refused to let that be the last memory his partner had of him.

_ Click. _

“Any last words for your buddy over there?” _This is it, this is how I die._ _I’m sorry Rude. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough... I’m sorry you had to see this._

Reno slowly opened his eyes, the light stinging as the face of his lover slowly came into focus. Restrained and helpless, their eyes locked. 

_ Shit. _

A few shaky breaths were all he could do to fight back the tears. Broken glasses revealed the look of pure anguish in Rude’s eyes, a sight he was hoping to avoid with all of his being.  _ Strong, I have to be strong. I can’t let him know I’ve admitted defeat.  _

With the last of his energy, he forced a smile. 

“See you later… partner.”

* * *

Rude caught the flicker of resignation on Tseng’s face as he closed the door to the private ward room. If he hadn’t shown up when he had, who knows what could have happened… he shook his head. No point thinking like that now.

He glanced to the side to look at his partner, who was now sitting upright in bed, gazing silently out of the window. He had seen him bandaged before, bloody and bruised, but seeing him lying there for days, unmoving and unresponsive was more terrifying than anything he’d experienced before.

He should be thrilled; he could have cried when he saw the redhead’s eyes open for the first time, if it weren’t for the first raspy words that left his lips:

_ “…who are you?” _

Amnesia is what the doctor said. The fact that he’d survived such a bullet wound was a miracle in itself, a miracle only possible because of the efforts of his superior. If he was only there a few seconds earlier… he dug his fingers into his thigh. No… this was his fault and his fault alone and he knew it.

_ “The lost memory has been known to return over time. We’ll try everything we can in the meantime but just be aware, he’s lucky to even be alive.” _

His hand idly reached to rest on Reno’s thigh, but he stopped himself as he saw his partner’s whole body tense at the near contact. His heart sank as he retracted his hand, but he couldn’t show it on his face. He couldn’t hurt him more than he was likely hurting himself. So he did the only thing he could think of.

He smiled.

Reno’s eyes caught his own momentarily before he turned away, looking down towards his pillow as his fingers idly played with one of the numerous tubes extending from his body. A pain shot through Rude’s chest at the rejection. The look of a person meeting eyes with a stranger for the first time.

It hurt more than he could have imagined. 

He thought that the pain of witnessing the one he loved die in front of his eyes would hurt the most, but he never imagined having him alive and breathing at his side could hurt him more.

“S-sorry.” Reno muttered. “I just… it just…” his brow wrinkled in apparent frustration, mouth opening to speak once more.

“It’s ok,” Rude interrupted, “you don’t need to explain. I shouldn’t have. It was my fault…”  _ it was all my fault.  _ His eyes dropped to the floor as his grip grew bruisingly tight, leaving a deafening silence in the room, broken only by the quiet beeping of the heart monitor.

He exhaled, loosening his grip and mentally slapping himself.  _ Keep it together, it’s not his fault.  _ He forced another smile on his lips and raised his head, only to see Reno staring down at him with an indescribable emotion painted on his face. 

He couldn’t do this.

Rude cleared his throat and raised to his feet, feigning a stretch and glancing out of the window. He turned and took a step away.

“I’m going to get a drink, do you want me to grab you anyth-” a hand grabbed him by the wrist and held tight, cutting him off. He involuntarily gasped at the contact, turning hesitantly to see Reno open mouthed, bottom lip shaking as if the words he wanted to speak were literally stuck in his throat.

A single tear rolled down his cheek as his grip quickly loosened. Rude felt as though he’d been struck by thundaga, a flash of emotion rushing through him so fast and heavy he thought his legs were going to collapse under him.

He pulled his arm away, and dashed towards the door.

“I-I’ll grab your usual. Be back in 5.” His voice broke as he pulled the door shut, collapsing against the wall and putting his head in his hands, unable to hold back the emotion any longer.

_ You told me you’d see me later, but now… you don’t see me at all. _

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I owe them some happiness together after this... who knows what will happen next for these two. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed regardless of the suffering and once again, please check out Bril's work as linked: https://twitter.com/agikun/status/1320724375922900994?s=19


End file.
